A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Upon hearing this, Meng Huai shot him a half-smile, half-sneer: “You’ve certainly noticed a lot.”

However, since Jiang Tianming and the others had already drawn attention, it was indeed inappropriate to keep this from them. After a moment’s thought, Meng Huai carefully replied, “They are members of an ability organization called ‘Black Flash.’ This organization loves to capture naive little ability users like you for research.”

The way he said it was akin to saying, “The big bad wolf loves to snatch up obedient little children to devour,” causing everyone to involuntarily twitch their lips.

Meng Huai, unfazed by the awkwardness, noticed the group’s nonchalance and let out a cold laugh: “If you don’t believe me, feel free to try.”

Naturally, no one dared to test that theory. Seeing Meng Huai’s displeasure, the group tactfully pulled Mo Xiaotian away. Once outside the classroom, they gathered in small clusters.

Team battles truly were a tool for forging bonds; those who had been at odds before were now mingling together.

In this atmosphere, Zhou Renjie, whose relationship with Jiang Tianming and the others hadn’t softened at all, felt somewhat out of place. He glanced around; Ai Baozhu was chatting with Lan Subing, Si Zhaohua was mingling with Jiang Tianming, and Feng Lan walked beside Su Bei.

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhou Renjie approached Su Bei. Though he wasn’t familiar with either of them, he held no deep-seated grudge against them either.

His feelings toward Su Bei were complex. When it came to making friends, Zhou Renjie valued two things: family background and strength.

Jiang Tianming and his group were orphans from Class F, which naturally placed them outside his circle of potential friends. Even if they weren’t the weaklings he had assumed, the stereotype had already formed, and the previous animosity was hard to shake off. Zhou Renjie certainly wouldn’t reconcile with them.

But Su Bei was different. From the moment he met Su Bei, the latter was already with Feng Lan. Anyone who could stand alongside the young master of the Feng family was certainly no weakling, and subsequent events proved this point.

Moreover, although he hadn’t investigated Su Bei’s family background, the way Su Bei carried himself was clearly distinct from those two impoverished souls, Jiang Tianming and Wu Mingbai. So even when Su Bei had clashed with him, Zhou Renjie didn’t feel much anger.

In fact, he couldn’t afford to be angry anymore. Si Zhaohua and Ai Baozhu had already stopped disliking Jiang Tianming and the others, so what could he do? At the very least, he needed someone in Class S he could converse with…

With this thought in mind, Zhou Renjie tentatively spoke up, “What were you two just discussing?”

Upon hearing his question, the two turned their heads. When Zhou Renjie had approached earlier, Feng Lan had been completely indifferent, while Su Bei had noticed him but chose to ignore him.

However, since Zhou Renjie had taken the initiative to speak, it would be impolite to remain silent. Su Bei succinctly replied, “We were discussing ‘Black Flash.’”

He wasn’t lying; there was no need to. They had indeed been talking about the “Black Flash” organization.

Like Si Zhaohua, Feng Lan, as a young master—perhaps even of a slightly higher status—knew a thing or two about “Black Flash.”

According to Feng Lan, “Black Flash” had indeed developed some things. Despite its seemingly low profile, it secretly controlled many commercial channels to sell the items they had researched.

Among these was a potion that could enhance mental strength, widely used by many ability users. Though expensive, its effects were undeniably impressive.

Feng Lan knew this because his family had considered giving it to him. However, he had refused; he preferred to rely on his own efforts to enhance his mental strength.

Thinking they were condemning the organization, Zhou Renjie immediately chimed in, “This ‘Black Flash’ is truly outrageous! I’ll make sure my parents catch them when I get home!”

Upon hearing this, Su Bei instantly lost interest in the conversation. He had brought up the topic to gather useful information, not to listen to someone boast about things they couldn’t achieve.

“Pfft!” Wu Mingbai, walking not far away, couldn’t help but snicker at his words. But he said nothing more and turned to leave.

Yet this only fueled Zhou Renjie’s anger further. He furiously questioned, “What do you mean by that? Ha! You don’t think our family can’t do it, do you? Don’t judge noble families with your impoverished perspective!”

“Enough,” Si Zhaohua said lightly, unable to bear leaving his friend alone in his isolation. “Let’s go back to the dormitory.”

His invitation indeed made Zhou Renjie forget his anger, and he immediately put on a flattering smile. “Alright, let’s go!”

Si Zhaohua nodded at Su Bei and quickly led Zhou Renjie away.

As they walked, he couldn’t help but sigh. Si Zhaohua and Zhou Renjie had known each other for nearly ten years, having been classmates since elementary school. Although he hadn’t wanted to pay attention to Zhou Renjie at first, after all these years, there was a bond of sorts.

—

But because of this, Si Zhaohua was very clear that the other party was truly unlikable.

He had heard their conversation just now, all speaking of the “Black Flash” organization. Jiang Tianming would analyze their motives, Wu Mingbai would review the shortcomings from the group competition, Mu Tieren would discuss the school’s measures, Feng Lan would share what he knew, Lan Subing would strive to gather information on the opponent, Ai Baozhu would frantically equip herself with defensive tools, Mo Xiaotian would curiously ask questions all around, and Su Bei would take precautions in advance.

Only Zhou Renjie, only he would believe that the Zhou family could handle the “Black Flash” organization.

What could he say to that?

In truth, Zhou Renjie was not unaware that the Zhou family could not deal with the “Black Flash.” After all, this was an organization bold enough to openly oppose the Ability Academy. It wasn’t hard to analyze that unless one was a fool.

Moreover, Zhou Renjie was definitely not a fool; he often ranked in the top ten during exams at his previous ordinary school.

Yet, the family-centric ideology he had been taught since childhood made it impossible for him to admit that his family was inadequate.

Though Si Zhaohua knew that many children from collateral branches underwent such brainwashing, it wasn’t Zhou Renjie’s fault, but his unpopularity was not others’ fault either.

“I just realized that Si Zhaohua actually has the potential to be a ‘male mother,’” Su Bei couldn’t help but say, noticing he had deliberately taken Zhou Renjie away to help him out.

Upon hearing this, Feng Lan blinked, repeating in confusion, “Male, mother?”

“It means someone who takes care of others,” Su Bei replied without hesitation, her expression serious. The term indeed carried that meaning, though it was often used in jest.

Lan Subing wore a strange expression; she was the only one present, aside from Su Bei, who had heard this term before.

Before Feng Lan could respond, Ai Baozhu, who had not yet left, nodded in agreement: “That’s right, he has that kind of personality.”

Though on the surface Si Zhaohua always appeared proud and untouchable, Ai Baozhu knew he was actually quite soft-hearted; otherwise, he wouldn’t have tolerated Zhou Renjie, who had clearly approached them with ulterior motives. It was precisely because of this nature that he could be accommodating towards her. Ai Baozhu had always known she wasn’t the type with a particularly good temper, but she felt no shame. Her family had spoiled her so well; a bit of pride in her temperament was only fitting.

Back in the dormitory, Su Bei pondered for a moment before decisively opening the forum.

It had been a long time since she used the “Prophet” account; today’s information was just right to establish a new persona for it!

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《【Prophet Post】The main cast has already caught the attention of the “Black Flash” organization; let’s predict how the Ability Academy will respond》

【Prophet No.0: rbt, since the target of the “Black Flash” is first-year students, those in the top ten of the individual competition will definitely be under close scrutiny. The school can’t possibly overlook this, so I guess they will have protective measures in place.

To protect ten people at once, placing them in the same class would be the most convenient. However, Class A clearly did not have any special protective mechanisms before; I doubt the school would suddenly make Class A special just because of this incident.

—

And just as it happened, the mention of Class S caught my attention; I sensed it was a hint left by the old thief, perhaps signaling the awakening of Class S soon.

In truth, his words were a bit over the top; for most, it would be difficult to connect this incident to the activation of Class S. But it mattered not, for he was indeed playing a game, and one that others would never uncover.

With no desire to study, Su Bei idly began to speculate who, besides their ten, might be chosen for Class S tomorrow. If all went as expected, Qi Huang and Li Shu, those who had appeared in the comics, should surely join.

But what of Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin? Surely they wouldn’t fade into the background? That was simply impossible. Yet, if they did not enter Class S, the plot would surely lose much of its depth. It seemed, if nothing unexpected occurred, there would likely be further twists ahead.

After a moment’s thought, Su Bei reopened his phone to refresh the posts, and indeed, there were many new comments.

【No.1: Ah?】

【No.2: Big brother, you said what I wanted to say, ah?】

【No.3: Ah?】

【No.4: Wait, I recognize every word, but why can’t I make sense of them together?】

【No.5: Great analysis, but please, no more next time.】

【No.6: Ah?】

【No.7: Is the poster’s imagination running wild?】

【No.8: What a baseless analysis, but I must admit, it does make a strange kind of sense.】

【No.9: The poster’s name seems familiar?】

【No.10: Are you serious?】

【No.11 replies to No.9:

I didn’t even notice until you mentioned it; this poster is a prophet! Damn! If that’s the case, I might just start believing his judgment.】

【No.12: It’s been ages since I saw a prophet post; who would’ve thought it would be another one of those seemingly nonsensical threads?】

【No.13: Finally, I’ve encountered a live version of a prophet’s post!】

【……】

[No.21: You all seem so confused, who is the host?]

[No.22: I want to ask too, why is it that as soon as it’s his post, everyone stops finding it absurd?]

[No.23: To the one above and the one above that, just search for the name “Prophet” and trace the timeline, and you’ll understand.]

[……]

[No.61: I’ve traced it, the host is indeed quite impressive…]

[No.62: I can only say, the name truly lives up to its reputation.]

[No.63: First, I must say the main post’s speculation is utterly ridiculous; secondly, if it’s true, I shall become a mindless follower of the Prophet! The First Gate!]

[No.64: I’m really curious, host, how do you manage to guess right every time? Especially since your predictions are so fantastical!]

[No.65 replying to No.64: I suspect he’s been peeking at the old thief’s script.]

Why can he guess right every time? Of course, it’s because he’s cheating! Looking at this comment, Su Bei smiled inwardly. Being able to read the comics and use the forum was his greatest advantage; he must make good use of it.

After this, the trust the forum readers have in his account would surely increase significantly. At that point, he should be able to use this account to enhance his own abilities once more. He needed to think carefully about which direction to take that enhancement.

However, it had to be combined with the changes he would experience after the next comic update. His performance in this team competition should have been decent; perhaps there would be some surprising changes next time.

Sunday, the day before school, the fifteen candidates for Class S were finally confirmed. Besides their ten, among the remaining five, Li Shu and Qi Huang were indeed present. There was also a girl named Ling You, who had battled Wu Mingbai.

Ling You was also from Class A, with a head of deep green hair cut to her ears and pale purple eyes; she was undoubtedly a strikingly cool girl. Her abilities were said to be related to poison, but since they hadn’t crossed paths, Su Bei hadn’t delved into her details.

Normally, the appearance of this new member would attract quite a bit of attention, but all eyes were drawn to two others—

Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin had both been selected!

Clearly, no one had anticipated this; upon seeing two students from Class F in the classroom, everyone wore expressions of surprise. Though these two had decent individual battle results, they surely hadn’t reached the level to enter Class S, had they?

Just then, Meng Huai walked in. Seeing everyone staring at Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin, he snapped his fingers: “What are you looking at? Are you looking down on them?”

No one spoke, but it was clear that some were unconvinced, especially those from Class A. It was one thing for Jiang Tianming and his group to be here; after all, they were among the top ten in individual combat. But what right did those two have to enter?

Meng Huai had a fair grasp of his own students. He turned to Zhao Xiaoyu, his tone casual: “You explain yourself.”

Zhao Xiaoyu had long anticipated the scrutiny she and Wu Jin would face, and she had prepared her words. She smiled openly, instantly endearing herself to those around her: “Class S doesn’t only accept students with powerful abilities; those strong in other aspects can also be welcomed.”

“And you…” Zhou Renjie couldn’t help but sneer, “What makes you strong?”

But before he could finish, Zhao Xiaoyu continued seamlessly, “As for what makes me strong, I hope you’ll discover that as we interact.”

Seeing her candidly acknowledge her shortcomings in abilities, and with a hint of reason in her words, the group’s hostility toward her diminished significantly.

After all, there were still five spots for expulsion left, weren’t there? If Zhao Xiaoyu didn’t measure up, she would eventually be advised to leave. There was no need to make enemies now.

Next was Wu Jin, and Meng Huai showed no intention of defending him either; letting Zhao Xiaoyu speak first was already a form of protection: “Wu Jin, it’s your turn.”

Wu Jin kept his head down, his hood casting shadows over half his face, his voice barely a whisper: “The principal sent me.”

Once he spoke, he quickly moved to stand between Su Bei and Zhao Xiaoyu, as if this spot could offer him some semblance of safety.

Ah! This one is even more significant.

The principal of the Ability Academy—though they didn’t know him personally, everyone had heard tales of his legend after entering the world of abilities. He was said to be the most powerful ability user of the present, unmatched in strength, and to this day, no one knew what his abilities truly were.

Speaking of which, what was the principal’s surname again?

Was it… Wu?

Hiss!

Those who thought of this couldn’t help but gasp, including Su Bei. He couldn’t resist casting a sidelong glance at Wu Jin. He hadn’t considered this angle before; could Wu Jin really have such a background? Surely, he wasn’t actually related to the principal!

Everyone fell silent. Since it was the principal who had sent him, at least for now, there would be no controversy. If he remained after the expulsion discussions and still couldn’t win them over, that was when the real disputes would ignite.

Meng Huai watched the reactions of the crowd with keen interest; he had let Wu Jin speak for the sake of entertainment. Once he had savored the moment, he settled into the chair behind the podium: “Now, one by one, introduce your abilities. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to collaborate later.”

As each person took their turn to share their abilities, Su Bei took mental notes. The only two he was unfamiliar with were Li Shu and Ling You, so he focused intently on them.

“I am Li Shu, my ability is [Illusion], and I am pleased to meet you all. I hope our time of learning together will foster a harmonious class relationship.”

Li Shu’s ability is [Illusion], as the name suggests. This power, when developed to its peak, would surely be formidable, but for now, Li Shu is far from that strength.

It is worth mentioning that after a close encounter today, he finally gained a slight understanding of this person. Whether he is a sickly sweet type or not, Li Shu couldn’t quite tell, but the words he spoke seemed a bit peculiar.

Next was Ling You: “I am Ling You, my ability is [Plague]. It doesn’t kill quickly, but once you come into contact, it’s nearly impossible to cure, and it can spread.”

The crowd: “…”

Everyone’s expression stiffened at once; plague, in any era, is a terrifying thing. Who would have thought someone could wield such an ability! Though they had never encountered a plague, they understood well enough that this poison should not be trifled with.

When it was Su Bei’s turn to introduce himself, he finally stopped claiming his ability was [Gears]: “I am Su Bei, my ability is [Fate Gears].”

This ability needed a bit of explanation, especially since there were still a few unfamiliar faces in the class. Glancing at the small pointer above Mo Xiao Tian’s head, which had already tilted to the right, Su Bei smiled and said, “Someone among you is going to have bad luck soon.”

He didn’t specify who, for if he did, that person would likely react in advance, causing the pointer to swing back to the left.

However, if it were Mo Xiao Tian, there was no need to worry too much: “Don’t look so surprised, Mo Xiao Tian, I’m talking about you.”

“Ah… huh?” Mo Xiao Tian’s eyes widened, “Me?”

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Just then, it was his turn to step onto the stage. He walked over, confusion etched on his face, and as soon as he stepped up, he tripped. Instantly, the pointer above his head returned to the center.

Seeing this, the crowd, especially those unfamiliar with Su Bei, looked at him in shock. Such an ability was indeed quite extraordinary.

After everyone had introduced themselves, Meng Huai clapped his hands, and several pitch-black Nightmare Beasts, trapped in cages, rose from below. Some of these beasts were recognizable as animals, while others were so deformed they were unidentifiable.

“Starting tomorrow, each of you will engage in continuous training against the Nightmare Beasts every day. A month from now, you will venture into a true otherworld for your trial. Any questions?”

“I, I, I!” Mo Xiao Tian eagerly raised his hand.

Meng Huai sneered, and a piece of chalk flew straight at his head, producing a sharp sound that made one wonder what exactly was going on in Mo Xiao Tian’s mind.

“Questions are useless!”

Because tomorrow marks the official start of classes, the teacher quickly departed after the introductions. Zhao Xiaoyu turned to everyone, “Shall we gather for a meal to celebrate our newfound camaraderie?”

Class S had only fifteen students, making it indeed feasible to share a meal and strengthen their bonds.

The first to respond, without a doubt, was Mo Xiaotian, but surprisingly, the second was Li Shu.

The pink-haired boy smiled sweetly, his demeanor gentle and endearing. “Sure! I’d love to get to know everyone better!”

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Jiang Tianming. Su Bei couldn’t help but feel curious about how Jiang Tianming had caught this person’s attention; he speculated that something intriguing must have transpired between them.

Feeling the weight of that gaze, Jiang Tianming’s expression darkened momentarily. Wu Mingbai stepped protectively in front of his friend, cheerfully addressing Li Shu, “What are you looking at?”

Li Shu’s warmth seemed to wane in response to Wu Mingbai, yet he remained gracious. “I was just looking at classmate Tianming. I find him quite interesting! It’s a pity he doesn’t seem keen on getting to know me?”

To openly express interest in someone like that was a trait that could be charming, yet it also risked misunderstanding. Coupled with Jiang Tianming’s evident disinterest, the group fell silent.

Truth be told, they were all, like Su Bei, quite curious about why this seemingly gentle pink-haired classmate was so drawn to Jiang Tianming. It felt a bit extraordinary; otherwise, a gentle person wouldn’t make such declarations in public.

Unfazed by the peculiar stares from the others, Li Shu merely smiled sweetly at everyone.

Su Bei couldn’t help but sigh. He still couldn’t discern whether Li Shu was truly a yandere. Setting aside the matter of Jiang Tianming, the other’s facade was quite convincing.

It was unfortunate for him that this sigh caught Li Shu’s attention. “Did classmate Su Bei just sigh? I’m sorry if my words affected you.”

Su Bei had no desire to be entangled with him, especially after reading forum analyses suggesting he might be a yandere. He decisively replied, “I just remembered I left the gas on in my room. I need to head back.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Behind him, Mo Xiaotian scratched his head in confusion. “Do we even have gas in our dorm?”

“Idiot!” Wu Mingbai didn’t hesitate to give him a light smack, then turned to Zhao Xiaoyu. “Let’s skip the meal; everyone already knows each other well enough.”

Zhao Xiaoyu sensed the awkward atmosphere and quickly seized the opportunity. “You make a good point! Su Bing, let’s head back together!”